'Mystery shoppers' visiting Stourport retailers (From Ludlow Advertiser)

'Mystery shoppers' visiting Stourport retailers

INDEPENDENT retailers in Stourport will be able to showcase their customer service skills and variety of choice as a team of “mystery shoppers” drop in to give the town a full retail audit.

The Location Model, designed by Skillsmart Retail, the Sector Skills Council for Retail, is being used and funded by Advantage West Midlands to assess the overall shopping experience in Stourport.

Trained market research professionals will visit each participating independent shop in the town twice during October to judge how well they are performing in areas such as customer service, product knowledge and window display.

As well as that, 100 shoppers in the town will be interviewed to find out how satisfied or dissatisfied they are with the service they receive.

Stourport town centre itself will also be audited, focusing on how easy it is for a stranger to shop in the town.

Everything from car parking to street signage will be assessed - even the smallest of details such as how easy it is for shoppers to cross roads.

The auditor will also assess the location of basic town landmarks, including the post office and library.

Once the information has been gathered, results will be shared with local stakeholders and businesses and used to plan a way forward for the town and discuss how certain areas could be improved.

The Location Model has already been successfully used in more than 80 locations in Great Britain, from Aberdeen to Wrexham.

Stourport Town Centre Forum, Stourport Forward and Wyre Forest District Council have worked together to make the scheme, and the benefits included, available to retail businesses in Stourport.

Derek Fradgley, chairman of the Stourport Town Centre Forum, which is helping organise the Location Model, said: “We have seen how the Location Model has helped numerous towns around the country.

“We already know that Stourport has a wealth of small specialist businesses, offering a unique and friendly service, but we are eager to learn more about what is already on offer and to identify new opportunities.”

Liz Sheerin, programme manager for Stourport Forward, said: “We know that Stourport is a great retail destination.

“This project will really cast an objective eye over what we are doing well, any gaps in the current market, what we still need to improve and will, I hope, also encourage even more local businesses to work together through the Stourport Town Centre Forum.”

After the full results have been published, traders will be told where they can go to receive training for them and their staff, as well as how they can make their shops more attractive.

Steve Singleton of Wyre Forest District Council, added: “Staff training in shops will always be important to business and it is great that retailers are being encouraged to take up offers of available support, courses and qualifications, some of which are completely free.”

Full results from the Location Model will be revealed at a public event to be held at Stourport Town Council Chamber at the Civic Centre, New Street on Thursday, November 19, from 5.30pm.

Prizes will be awarded to the businesses which perform best in the mystery shopping.